CME Group Tour Championship: Brittany Lincicome, Lexi Thompson go back in time to near top

Nasa Hataoka of Japan chips the ball out of a sand trap during the CME Group Tour Championship, the final event of the LPGA Tour, on Thursday at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples. Hataoka is tied for second.(Photo: Alex Driehaus/Naples Daily News)Buy Photo

Two of the biggest stars on the LPGA Tour decided to go back in order to go forward Thursday.

It worked for both Brittany Lincicome and Lexi Thompson in the first round of the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburón Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort.

Lincicome, 33, took her mindset back to when she was 10 and just started playing the game. She birdied her first five holes on the way to an 8-under 64, one shot behind leader Amy Olson and tied with Japan's Nasa Hataoka, who grabbed the projected lead in the $1 million Race to the CME Globe with a round capped by a 40-foot birdie putt. Thompson, 23, scrapped her ball-flight philosophy, putter, and caddie, and is in fourth at 7 under.

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Brittany Lincicome talks with the Golf Channel after her first-round 64 left her tied for second in the CME Group Tour Championship on Thursday.
Greg Hardwig, greg.hardwig@naplesnews.com; 239-263-4767

Lincicome got in her way-back machine after a 9-year-old rode along with her in an event earlier in the week, and watching a high school freshman -- Lake Mary's Karoline Tuttle -- who's committed to Florida play with her in the pro-am Tuesday and Wednesday.

"... It's just funny how they play," Lincicome said. "They play carefree. There is no stress. They're not worried about money or rankings or anything. I really just wanted to go back to my 10-year-old self, and I think I accomplished that."

Thompson, who capped last year in Naples by missing a short putt that could've won the event but still winning the $1 million Race to the CME Globe, is starting over in a lot of ways after a rocky season by her standards.

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Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand watches her ball during the CME Group Tour Championship, the final event of the LPGA Tour, on Thursday, November 15, 2018, at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples. Jutanugarn won the event in 2017. Alex Driehaus/Naples Daily News

Brooke Henderson of Canada signs a flag for Gracie Grant, 12, of Destin, during the CME Group Tour Championship, the final event of the LPGA Tour, on Thursday, November 15, 2018, at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples. Alex Driehaus/Naples Daily News

Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand watches her ball during the CME Group Tour Championship, the final event of the LPGA Tour, on Thursday, November 15, 2018, at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples. Alex Driehaus/Naples Daily News

Minjee Lee of Australia chips the ball onto the green during the CME Group Tour Championship, the final event of the LPGA Tour, on Thursday, November 15, 2018, at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples. Alex Driehaus/Naples Daily News

Nasa Hataoka of Japan puts up her umbrella during the CME Group Tour Championship, the final event of the LPGA Tour, on Thursday, November 15, 2018, at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples. Alex Driehaus/Naples Daily News

Sung Hyun Park of South Korea hits the ball during the CME Group Tour Championship, the final event of the LPGA Tour, on Thursday, November 15, 2018, at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples. Alex Driehaus/Naples Daily News

Nasa Hataoka of Japan chips the ball out of a sand trap during the CME Group Tour Championship, the final event of the LPGA Tour, on Thursday, November 15, 2018, at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples. Alex Driehaus/Naples Daily News

A likeness of Brooke Henderson covers one of her clubs during the CME Group Tour Championship, the final event of the LPGA Tour, on Thursday, November 15, 2018, at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples. Alex Driehaus/Naples Daily News

Brooke Henderson lines up a putt during the CME Group Tour Championship, the final event of the LPGA Tour, on Thursday, November 15, 2018, at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples. Alex Driehaus/Naples Daily News

A camera operator films the action during the CME Group Tour Championship, the final event of the LPGA Tour, on Thursday, November 15, 2018, at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples. Alex Driehaus/Naples Daily News

Brooke Henderson hits the ball out of the rough during the CME Group Tour Championship, the final event of the LPGA Tour, on Thursday, November 15, 2018, at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples. Alex Driehaus/Naples Daily News

Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand marks her ball during the CME Group Tour Championship, the final event of the LPGA Tour, on Thursday, November 15, 2018, at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples. Alex Driehaus/Naples Daily News

Minjee Lee of Australia, right, hugs Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand, left, during the CME Group Tour Championship, the final event of the LPGA Tour, on Thursday, November 15, 2018, at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples. Alex Driehaus/Naples Daily News

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Thompson is winless and that would be the first time since 2013. Thompson and caddie Kevin McAlpine have split -- her brother Curtis is on the bag this week -- she has gone back to a draw that she played with early in her career, and has a new putter -- a Bettinardi style she has used before -- and even a new puppy.

Thompson had five birdies and an eagle -- she hit a 4-iron from 220 yards to 12 feet -- with three straight birdies on the back on Nos. 12-14.

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Lexi Thompson shot a 7-under 65 in the first round of the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018.
Greg Hardwig, greg.hardwig@naplesnews.com; 239-263-4767

"It was nice to have a day like this," said Thompson, who had father as her caddie until her brother failed to Monday qualify for this week's PGA Tour event. "I knew my game was there. It was just a matter of everything coming together and being 100 percent confident with my little swing changes that I've been working on.

"I just felt a lot more comfortable. I've been working on a few swing changes, so just getting more consistent with it. I worked on it a lot this last week at home. It's just being confident with it, aiming right, hitting my draw, and just playing how I used to play."

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Crowds walk toward the green during the CME Group Tour Championship, the final event of the LPGA Tour, on Thursday at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples.(Photo: Alex Driehaus/Naples Daily News)

Earlier this year, Thompson revealed she has been going through some self-confidence body image issues in a post on her Instagram account.

"... What I’ve learned is that I’m not going to deprive myself in the one life I get to live, I’m going to enjoy life and my food," the post read in part. "You should never compare your body to others it’s a never ending battle of being miserable trust me. Your body is your body, it is beautiful so embrace it."

Thompson said she is making strides in that part of her life.

"It's definitely a process," she said. "I've been working on myself a lot with just going to therapists or just trying to figure myself out off the golf course, but I'm not just the golfer Lexi. That's what I want people to know, and not expect so much out of me."